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Brake drum – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Description When checking a brake drum during service, all the following should be checked EXCEPT: A) Diameter B) Out-of-roundness C) Minimum thickness D) Taper wearMore ASE Practice Questions

How to choose a memory saver tool for cars and trucks

As vehicle electronics become increasingly complex, the humble memory saver tool has gone from a convenience to an absolute necessity for maintaining power to vehicle systems while the battery is disconnected. Memory saver tools have changed over the years, too, and...

Virgil Exner: The creator of Chrysler’s “forward look”

I’m a sucker for the sleek, smooth, and aggressive look of late 1950’s automobiles. As such, I owe a debt of gratitude to one man: Virgil Exner. In the 50’s, Exner was the head of styling at Chrysler, and he spearheaded the “Forward Look” of their cars, a look that...

Noisy disc brakes – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

How to test for blown fuses in a car or truck | Fast and easy methodDescription All of the following could cause noisy disc brake operation EXCEPT: A) Glazed pads B) Grease contamination on the pads C) Broken anti-rattle clipsD) Foreign matter embedded into the pad...

A few tips for tow truck operators

A few tips for tow truck operators

At one point in my automotive career, I ran a rollback wrecker.  Those days are getting smaller in my rearview mirror and the game has changed over the years, but I learned a lot of things that I wish someone had just told me. My recovery work is limited to salvage...
Why you should add a spring hook to your toolbox

Why you should add a spring hook to your toolbox

As a young mechaniclet, I fought springs often. Specifically, helical tension springs gave me metaphorical headaches and literal skinned knuckles. I encountered them most often when performing brake jobs on vehicles with drum brakes. I went through a ton of tools,...
Should a customer bring parts?

Should a customer bring parts?

Three words no shop manager ever wants to hear are customer supplied parts. There are some really good reasons for that, and it’s understandable why many shops take a “just say no” position on the practice. But there are also plenty of perfectly reasonable arguments...
The rarely seen control arm-mounted trailer ball rears its head

The rarely seen control arm-mounted trailer ball rears its head

Well, this was a humdinger. Let me explain how I ended up here. I was popping ball joints free from the lower A-arms so I could swing the CV axles out and replace the hub assemblies on this car. The left side freed up with a few taps. This side? Well, this picture is...
Serviceability Hall of Shame: Ford Taurus Spring Shields

Serviceability Hall of Shame: Ford Taurus Spring Shields

The Serviceability Hall Of Shame was born from all the times we’ve looked at a vehicle and realized some usually simple task was going to be nightmarish. It is, ultimately, a response and explanation of the inevitable question, “Good Lord, why?!” Today’s entrant isn’t...
LOF PSA: Don’t forget the lube job

LOF PSA: Don’t forget the lube job

Please forgive me, because I’m about to be a dinosaur and proselytize for a few moments. Many moons ago, I would have customers request an oil change and a lube job. It was so prevalent that the acronym for this, LOF, is still in pretty common use. (That’s “lube, oil,...